Next step - fighting hair algea - ???

[fishforlife]

My 125 gallon tank is looking good....then I woke up one morning to see tiny green hair algea clinging to the side of my glass and brown algea on my sand. I only have about 5 crabs and 5 snails.... Is my first order of business to buy more snails and crabs? I have a lawnmower blenny but he won't touch the hair algea yet.

So is this a good plan:

1. crabs and snails (how many for a 125, i haveheard anywhere from 120 total to 60 total)
2. Phosfate reator

[JimD]

How old is the tank? What are your water perameters? Whats your top off water source? Whats your lighting? Whats your feeding schedule? Do you have a refugium? Are you using a skimmer? How often and how much are your water changes?

[mikedelgado]

yup

[greatwhite@AlamoAquatics]

ditto

[jrsatx20]

huh

[Mr Cob]

yup, clean-up crew and possibly adjust your lighting schedule...cut back a bit try a half hour here and there until you're satisfied with the results.

[fishforlife]

too much light? How many hours a day do you run the lights? My tank is about 6 weeks old, but was stocked from established live rock and sand from reputable MAAST members. All water paremiters and readings are spot on. I have a sump and feed the fish a few times per day. The hair algea is not epidemic for me, it is just that I started noticing it and did not want it to spread out of control.

how much and of what kind would you recomend for clean up crew?

[jroescher]

You really need to do some reading up on your new tank before you go much further so you know what to expect. The hair algea, and some other algeas, diatoms, cyanos and a lot of other stuff your going to see are all part of the 'cycle' your tank is still going going through.

Look up "clean up crew" at some the sponsers sites and you'll find lots of recommendations on what you need. ReefCleaners.org has a form to fill out to suggest what you need and a short article about algea and cycles.

And keep posting questions here, we love answering them!

[Bill S]

No matter how much "stuff" you got from established tanks, it will still go thru a cycle. Hopefully a small cycle, but still a cycle.

[ReefLover]

No matter how much "stuff" you got from established tanks, it will still go thru a cycle. Hopefully a small cycle, but still a cycle.

Probably just a small cycle, but definitely need more clean up crew.